Betwixt and Between
by QueenOfBabble
Summary: It's like choosing between a classic novel and the newest book on the shelves. Either is great in its own way.
1. Betwixt and Between

**A/N: Written for ****limegreenrocks****' "NextGen Pairing Challenge" on HPFC. I was a little skeptical about my pairing at first, but I really enjoyed writing this. I like where I stopped it, but let me know if you think I need to continue it.**

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Betwixt and Between

He's too young for her. She knows that. She's six years his senior. If they were dogs, she'd be forty-two years older than him. In the Muggle world, he's 'jailbait'. In the Muggle world, this would be easier, because she wouldn't have to actually make the choice. The law would literally make up her mind for her.

But this isn't the Muggle world, and so she has to make her own choice. She can't ask her sister, because she's who-knows-where doing who-knows-who. And it isn't like she can go to her mum for advice, because her mum will tell everyone and their brother. And this is one thing that does _not_ need to be printed in _The Daily Prophet_.

Victoire Weasley is a successful twenty-four year old woman. She runs the third-largest fashion house in Wizarding England, and has quilled two Best-Selling novels for teen witches. She has more gold than she knows what to do with (not that she hasn't tried). She has dressed dignitaries, Quidditch players, high-ranking Purebloods, even Muggle actors and actresses. So why is she lusting after her younger cousin's seventeen year old – still in school – best friend?

Maybe it's the painting he gave her for Christmas. She'd been his Secret Santa, so he'd hand-painted a picture of Shell Cottage in late winter. It was magnificent. She'd asked him why he didn't sell his paintings, and had been answered with a laugh. Purebloods didn't work as artists, he'd choked out. It was beneath them.

Maybe it's the fact that he doesn't drool over her. Since she first began to grow breasts at the age of nine, males of all ages have lusted after her. Throughout her Hogwarts career, she received over fifty declarations of love, and at least ten marriage proposals. Every once in a while, she still receives 'fan mail' from overly-horny men, asking her to do things for them (random strangers) that she's never even done for her boyfriends (of which there have been few and far between). But he doesn't act that way around her. He acts as if she's just another ordinary woman (which she really isn't); he does not act as if she's a one-eighth Veela with cascading golden locks, a tall stature, fair skin, and sparkling blue – robin's egg blue – eyes (which she actually is).

Maybe it's the feelings that she associates with him. The lust, the fire, the danger, the raw passion flying between them every time she catches his eye. She never feels like this with anyone else. Not even her fiancé, and oldest friend, Teddy Lupin – who she has supposedly been in love with since the age of six – makes her feel like he does.

Any one of these things can be counted as the reason that Victoire is _actually_ considering breaking off her engagement and chasing after Scorpius Malfoy. She's not even sure if he actually wants her! How foolish she'd feel, to call off her engagement, and then discover that he wasn't even interested!

No! She shouldn't even be thinking about this subject! Teddy loves her, and she loves him. End of story! Right? Right! Right? …Wrong? Damn it! Look at what he's done to her! She has no idea anymore; no idea what to think, what to say, what to feel. He's gotten her all befuddled, and he hasn't even done anything!

The grandfather clock in her flat's living room chimes midnight. She should be in bed, asleep. She has to get up early in the morning and do something that she can't be bothered to remember right now. It's late, she's tired, and she's confused. She's still not come to a conclusion about her dilemma, and it adds to her frustration. She pops a headache potion and gets into bed. She wiggles around, trying to get comfortable. Nothing works. So she lies in bed, mind racing.

She doesn't come to a conclusion that night. Nor does she come to one whilst trying on wedding dresses in the morning – the thing she had to get up early for – or while attending the weekly Sunday dinner at the Burrow – he's not even there tonight. Whenever she has a spare moment, she's thinking about her problem.

Safety or the unknown? Same-old-same-old or new blood? It's like choosing between a classic novel and the newest book on the shelves. Either is great in its own way. And this still doesn't solve her problem.

She thinks for months. She still can't believe she's entertaining the idea. But she is. Her wedding to Teddy draws closer. Half a year away, three months, one month, two weeks, one week, three days. She's still thinking right up to her turning point. Tomorrow she can marry Teddy, and (hopefully) live happily ever after, never knowing what could've been. Or she can leave him standing at the altar, waiting for a bride that will never come, and chase after Scorpius and what could be. Her life will change either way.

If she leaves Teddy, but isn't happy, will he take her back? Or will she lose him forever? There's no divorce in the Wizarding World, so if she marries Teddy, but eventually decides that she wants to see what could be with Scorpius, she'll be too late. She'll be stuck with Teddy forever. What is the right decision? What will make everyone happy?

No! She shakes her head. This is about what makes her happy, not what makes everyone else happy. She loves her family, but her love life will never be about them. And then she knows. She knows who she will choose. Who has won her heart forever.


	2. Betwixt and Between: Redux

**A/N: The second half of the fic. Because my 'Twin' asked for it. Love ya, Twin! Sorry for getting you addicted to my writing.**

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Betwixt And Between: Redux

She's too old for him. Actually, not really. He has a thing for older women. One of the reasons he's never dated Rose (and because he didn't like red hair and freckles). But, to the rest of the world, she's too old for him. He's of age, sure, but he's still in school. Why would she ever want to date someone that she can't see for almost nine months of the year?

On the day of her wedding to his git of cousin (who is actually a very nice man, and not a git at all) – which he had been invited to – he is moping around Malfoy Manor, where he has grown up. He doesn't want to see his dream girl entwining her life with someone else's. Scorpius Malfoy has too much pride.

The wedding starts at two. It's two-fifteen right now. He throws his clock at the wall, and runs his hand through his hair as it shatters. Any minute now, they'll be saying 'I do!', and he'll have lost her forever. Stupid Metamorphagus! He's frustrated. What does Teddy have that he doesn't? Oh, yeah, about eight more years of experience. And a job. His own house. His own life. Everything a woman like Victoire wants in a husband, obviously.

There's a loud banging on the front door. He can hear it echo through the house, even in his third-floor room. He's the only one home; his parents are attending the wedding, and the house elves have been given the day off. He doesn't want to answer the door, so he covers his head with his pillow, hoping the person will go away. No such luck. The pounding is insistent, and finally he gets fed up. So he storms downstairs and yanks open the door, ready to give the intruder a piece of his (weary) mind.

Instead, he's stunned. It's her. Victoire Weasley is standing on his doorstep, clad in a wedding gown, her hair and make-up done, looking even ethereal than usual. Right now she should be at her wedding ceremony, being tied to his cousin 'till death do them part'. But instead she's right in front of him, robin's egg blue eyes locked with his own silver ones.

Why is she here? Why is she here? Why is she here? His mind's replaying the same thought over and over, and he can't seem to force any words out of his mouth. He feels dumb, just staring at her like this. But he can't convince himself to stop.

"Scorpius," she breathes, like a little moan. She's happy to see him. At least, he _thinks_ she's happy to see him. He can't really tell. Her face is telling him nothing. It never tells him anything. He's learned to read her through her small movements. He's been studying since that first day on the train, six years ago. She will always mesmerize him.

"What…what are you doing here?" he asks. His heart's beating at overdrive, like it always does when she's near him. She affects him like no one else ever has. And she will continue to affect him like this as no one else ever will. He can say, with totally certainty, that Victoire is it for him. The woman he wants to be with for the rest of his life. Now, if only she felt the same about him.

"I chose you," she breathes again; another little moan. Why does she have to do that? It's distracting. It makes him think of…things…that he wants to do to her. Things he'll never be able to do to her. She belongs to his cousin…wait, what did she say? He asks her with his eyes, raising one eyebrow in that way that very few people can.

"I couldn't marry him," she sighs. He's intrigued. What happened? He steps out of the doorway and grants her access into his home. She steps inside, and kicks off her killer heels. They're death traps, so why has she been wearing them? Today just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

He leads her into the living room, and she sinks into the loveseat. Scorpius heads to the kitchen and comes back with tea and cookies. They're the only two things he knows how to make, but that's okay. She likes tea and cookies. He raises his eyebrow at her again as he falls into his favorite armchair. He doesn't trust his own voice right now.

"I finally realized that I've never _really _been in love with Teddy," she explains, "I just _thought_ I was in love with him, because that's what my family expected of me." He smirks a little. He's always known that something is a little off between the two of them. And now she's telling him so. Today is getting better already, so he prompts her to continue with a nod of his head.

"You actually caused me to figure it out," she confessed. This is met with two, not one, raised eyebrows. "I started thinking at Christmas. After you gave me that painting. For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about you in a…different way. It's like I suddenly realized that you weren't a little boy anymore. You're going to graduate in a month, and you'll be out in the world, just like I am. We'll kind of be equals." He's never thought about it like this, but he likes the idea of being her equal, if only because it means he has a chance.

"You're very attractive, did you know that?" she asks him suddenly. He's startled. He's heard it many times at Hogwarts over the years. But he's never expected to hear it from her. He's wished for something of the sort to slip from her lips, and be directed towards him. But he's never actually thought it'd happen.

"That's why I left Teddy at the altar," she admits, continuing on, like she'd never even commented on his appearance. "I want to try to have…something…with you. If you want me. We don't have to jump into anything. Just one date at a time, if that's what you want." She's holding her breath. She's afraid he's going to say no! He chuckles at the idea of him turning her – his perfect dream girl; a one-eighth Veela – down. It's preposterous, honestly!

He still doesn't trust his voice, though. He's afraid that, should he try to speak, only a squeak will come out. And she'll lose all feelings that she has/had for him. What kind of a grown man squeaks?

He does the only thing he trusts his body to do. He stands up and glides towards her. She's biting her lip. Even more attractive. He's standing in front of her now. He's leaning down, closer, closer, closer…then their lips meet.


End file.
